news 18 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
June 3 Remains Public Holiday Amid Martyrs Day Postponement
Despite the postponement of this year's Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations due to Ebola concerns, June 3 will still be observed as an official public holiday, the government has confirmed. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/june-3-remains-a-public-holiday-despite-martyrs-day-postponement-govt-5464686
The Ugandan government has issued a clarification stating that June 3 will remain a public holiday, even though the annual Martyrs Day celebrations have been postponed. This decision comes in light of the escalating Ebola outbreak in the region.
Mr. Allan Kasujja, Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre, confirmed that all institutions, schools, and offices, both public and private, will observe the holiday and remain closed. “Martyrs Day, observed on June 3, 2026, remains a public holiday,” Kasujja stated.
The postponement was announced by President Yoweri Museveni, following consultations with the National Epidemic Response Task Force and religious leaders. The decision was influenced by the large number of pilgrims who travel to Uganda annually from eastern Congo, an area heavily affected by the current Ebola outbreak.
Pilgrims who had already started their journeys have been urged by the President to return home and adhere to preventative health measures, emphasizing that “protection of life must come first.”
This is not the first time public health concerns have impacted the Martyrs Day commemorations. In 2020 and 2021, the events were scaled down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with virtual or limited scientific gatherings.
The current Ebola outbreak, declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization, has led to significant cases and fatalities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda has also reported confirmed cases, including a fatality.
Martyrs Day is a significant religious event in Uganda, drawing millions of Christian faithful from Uganda and neighboring countries to honor the Uganda Martyrs. Pilgrims typically travel from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Sudan.